Connor Hellebuyck NHL Trade Talks with Devils Reportedly 'Escalating' as Jets Suspension Ends

After lobbying for some sort of change following an "unacceptable" season, star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck could be about to get just that.

The Winnipeg Jets are reportedly "escalating" Hellebuyck trade talks Friday, according to TSN's Darren Dreger, with ESPN's Emily Kaplan reporting the New Jersey Devils "are closing in" on a deal to land the netminder.

The Athletic's Chris Johnston and Murat Ates previously reported the suspension the Jets issued to Hellebuyck for failing to report to training camp was expected to expire Friday.

The suspension has cost Hellebuyck $925,000 in forfeited salary, according to Johnston and Ates. The Jets have gotten off to a 4-3-3 start to the season with Stuart Skinner as their go-to starter over that stretch.

Winnipeg is coming off a 2025-26 campaign in which it missed the playoffs and collected the second-fewest points (82) in the Central division.

During his exit interview with the media in April, Hellebuyck was candid when he stated his desire to lift a Stanley Cup and suggested the Jets could need to shake things up.

"From my perspective, complacency is not going to get us moving forward," he told reporters. "So something has got to happen. I'm not going to just sit here and throw every guy under the bus because, honestly, I'm a goalie and I know goaltending really well.

"I can't say, 'Well, this forward did this and that defenceman did that.' That's not my spot. I believe in every guy giving their A-plus effort every single night. As a teammate, I can really rally behind that and really cherish those moments with those guys. But to just put that same product on the ice, I don't think it worked for a reason."

Hellebuyck didn't go so far as to request a trade, but Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff confirmed in June the team was willing to entertain offers.

"Certainly, as an organization we're going to listen," he said. "Everyone saw (Hellebuyck's) press conference at the end of the year; he was passionate. Certainly, in our exit meetings we had some frank conversations as well, but again, what happens in those meetings certainly stays private."

A formal trade request did then arrive in August. Through his agent, Hellebuyck said he approached the Jets months earlier about wanting out but didn't want to publicize it. The lack of movement compelled him to take a different approach.

The situation took another turn when Winnipeg suspended the netminder after he didn't report to camp. Cheveldayoff said he'd be welcomed back when he decided to show up.

Hellebuyck is coming off a down year by his incredibly high standards. His .895 save percentage was a career low, while his 2.86 goals-against average was a notable rise from his NHL-best 2.00 in 2024-25.

Still, the 33-year-old's reputation precedes him. He's a three-time winner of the Vezina Trophy and was the first goalie in a decade to earn the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2024-25.

Thanks to his no-movement clause, Hellebuyck held a lot of the cards in this situation, and his $8.5 million average salary may have priced out some suitors.

There's no ignoring how much of a downgrade the Jets will have between the pipes with Hellebuyck gone. The organization could at least be assured of getting a strong haul back in a trade.

And if the last few years were any example, Hellebuyck's presence on its own wasn't making Winnipeg a true Stanley Cup contender. Through this move, focusing on other areas of the roster and looking toward the future could help the franchise in the long term.